Richard 'Pick' Hobson was given birth to in Illinois on May 15, 1911. He headed west in 1929, eventually landing in Reno where he worked being a dealer with the Palace Club. After gaining some experience, and some friends, Pick invested his cash in a gaming operation with the Colombo Club at 244 Lake Street, inside Colombo Hotel. The Toscano Hotel, just across the street, housed advertising for Pick's clubs for years, reminding those driving by, to go to his other casinos.
Joe Hobson, Pick's brother, joined him in a casino located in the tiny town of Hawthorne, Nevada in the Second World War, if the munitions facility is at full swing. Also arrived were the constantly fighting service men around, working in the munitions facility. The Pick returned to Reno in 1943 and opened 'Pick's Club,' which reopened in 1946 because Frontier Club when Joe dedicated to the casino at 220 North Virginia Street.
The casino featured a bar, craps, 21, and roulette, along with a race-horse book. A bingo hall was added in 1948, and 30 video poker machines were brought-in by Virgil Smith. Later a Keno game was added as well as the table games expanded. By 1956 when the club was sold to Bill Harrah, there are 172 slots.
Harrah paid nearly $1 million for the casino, and section of his purchase price was a stipulation that Hobson may not operate another casino for three years. In 1960, Pick purchased the Overland Hotel, just around the corner on Commercial and Center Street. The club backed-up to his old Lake Street casino.
In 1970, Pick purchased the Cosmo Club, that they operated for four years until it turned out closed so he could expand the Overland. At the same time, Pick was operating the Gold Club in Sparks, and also the Topaz Lodge at the California State Line.
Once again, Bill Harrah came knocking, offering to lease the Overland, nevertheless the hotel and casino immediately closed and the property was demolished in June 1977. The Cosmo Club have also been demolished, and Harrah purchased the Riverside hotel casino from Jessie Beck and traded it to Hobson in exchange for the Overland and Cosmo Club land.
Pick Hobson was the final owner of the Riverside casino, which closed in December 1986. An auction of slots and memorabilia through the Riverside and also the Overland happened, and also the hotel closed in November 1987. Pick gone after Portola, California soon afterwards. He passed away August 19, 1996, always remembered check here being a very congenial boss who did his best to take care of his employees.